{hotel raquel, havana...}

We spent 3 nights at the Hotel Raquel in Old Havana. The location was perfect, quiet and just steps to San Fransisco Square and the Chocolate Museum (I waited in line for an hour for a chocolate fish!).
We especially loved the rooftop terrace where we could enjoy a Mojito, a Cohiba and a beautiful view.

{la playa...}

Our 4 nights on the beach in Varadero are almost not worth mentioning as the resort and food left a lot to be desired. We knew this in choosing Varadero, but the flights worked for us and we were close to Havana, the reason for our trip to Cuba. The white sand and crystal clear waters were a small slice of paradise. Our resort was located on the point, so we always had a little plot of sand just for us!

{a getaway to cuba!...}

Remember that November vacation I was longing for, the Grenadines or Cuba? Well, C and I both got offered new jobs at the beginning of this month, so we decided to celebrate with a getaway to Cuba!
We took over a 1000 photos and are busy sorting and editing... there will be more to share soon. This shot is of our hotel lobby in Havana Vieja (the old town) - The Hotel Raquel. More to come on this great property and the rest of our trip.

{trailer park with a view...}

When I imagined going to South Africa one day, I have to say that the idea of catching the sunset over Table Mountain from my own rooftop trailer never occurred to me!

Cape Town`s Grand Daddy Hotel boasts 7 indie-decor trailers, each with a unique theme, design and private outdoor garden. Not sure this would be my choice, but I tip my hat to the Grand Daddy for dazzling creativity!

It's exciting times for Brazil. Rio de Janeiro will be hosting the 2016 summer olympics, so tourism is expected to flourish.

Surely this adorably rustic getaway on Preá beach will attract tourists and athletes alike. Founded by a passionate group of windsurfers, the 16 wood and thatch bungalows are nestled on a beach world famous for kite and windsurfing.


I love the colourful touch of floral textiles!

Top two photos via here and others via here.

{breathe...}

After a long weekend of house work (and a few stumbles on my way to work this morning), I've decided that it's time for a little yoga, relaxation, and maybe just a deep breath.

In April, I was invited to the Ananda Spa in northern India. I learned about my dosha type (learn about yours here), hiked in the Himalayas, and partook in the amazing Aarati ceremony on the banks of the river Ganga. Just thinking about it makes me feel more relaxed...

{an august getaway with coco+kelley...}

In pouring over Cassandra's beautiful blog at Coco+Kelley, I discovered her wonderful plan to gather August vacation ideas from her readers.
As a Trip Planner for a high-end travel company, I spend my year designing cycling and hiking trips in Asia - from the exotic beaches of Vietnam to the peaceful backwaters of Southern India. When August rolls around, things are quiet in my work life, so I get to spend a little time planning a trip just for me. No place beckons an August getaway quite like Canada, British Columbia's cabin country in particular.

So, my day begins waking up in a rustic log cabin much like this one...

... and a jog through the morning grass (maybe with that dog I've been dreaming about getting ;)...

... a post-lunch game of cards is a must with folksy tunes in the background...

... a little alone time to stroll the nearby trails on horseback...

... and finally a sunset cruise on the water before getting cozy at the campfire... hello august!
*log cabin photo via countryliving.com
*remaining photos via dace clothing

{bamboo...}

There is something about bamboo that I find completely magical. Many of my favourite hotels are hidden behind walls of this woody grass and the best walks in Kyoto (my favourite city in the world) are along these forested floors.

C and I were surprised to find this fastest-growing plant on earth in our Toronto backyard and have been researching all kinds of ways to create with it. I’ve been discovering amazing paper designs like those by Smock, a gracefully-green letterpress print shop in New York. I am wildly in love with their creations.

C has been up until the wee hours of the night inventing ways to use bamboo in our house and best of all, how to use it to build a bike. Calfee Design has this figured out and is behind the awesome Bamboo Bike Project in Ghana, helping locals to build their own means of transportation.

The possibilities are truly endless. What are you making with bamboo?

{tennis in tuscany...}

After a lovely game of tennis on my neighbourhood courts, I thought it would be fun to research a trip around the sport. This proved to be much harder than I imagined. I had romantic notions of a quaint little hotel with a secret-garden-like court hidden amongst overgrown vines and wild flowers. Ha! It seemed all I could find were huge resorts with twelve courts stretched across wide-open spaces (although sometimes with a nice ocean view). And then it dawned on me... a private villa... my advantage! This castle in Tuscany offers exactly the kind of tennis getaway that I had in mind. Giochiamo a tennis?

{yelapa escape...}

I entered a contest yesterday to win a 3-night stay at Verana, a tiny boutique hotel perched in the hills of Yelapa, Mexico. I had a chance to visit this property a few years ago and have been dreaming of staying there ever since. The design is wonderfully unique with open-air rooms (literally, no walls for some!) breezy curtains, and rustic furniture... pretty please let me win!

{the youngest country on earth...}

I gave a presentation this morning on New Zealand; one of the world's most breathtaking countries. I highlighted many exquisite properties, among them Wharekauhau Lodge & Country Estate.
I just love the warm butter walls of the guest cottages...

... the openness of the kitchen in the main lodge (help yourself to tea, granola, yogurts, fresh fruit, mmmm....)

... and the calming view of Palliser Bay...

Let the little hairs on your arm dance while watching the New Zealand Toursim Board's latest video (just press play on the top banner). Welcome to the youngest country on earth...

{inner cowgirl...}

I spent Saturday at the racetrack with my boyfriend Chris and his family, their horse Censored took first place! Whenever I'm at their farm or at the races, I have an overwhelming urge to whisk off to a ranch for a week and embrace my inner cowgirl. Sadly, growing up on a farm, Chris has no desire for such a vacation. I'll need to go solo or live vicariously through some of these beautiful photos of latin american estancias. {above: Estancia El Rocio, Argentina}

Estancia El Rocio

Estancia El Rocio

Inca House, Ecuador

Los Lingues, Chile

{aaahh aman...}

Asia is my favourite part of the world for many reasons, but mostly because the level of service and attention to detail is so extraodinary. No collection of hotels better embodies this than The Aman Resorts.
Heading into a hot summer weekend, let's celebrate a few of Aman's glorious pools... The above is at Amandari, Bali.

These beautiful girls are poolside at Amankila, Bali.

The tented haven of Aman-i-khás, India

A private pool villa at Amansara, Cambodia

Oceanview at Amanpuri, Thailand.